So you need to get some Zs. One way to improve your sleep time is to have a sleep friendly bed room. But what is a sleep friendly bedroom?
If you live on a busy street, or there is a barking dog in the neighborhood, it can disrupt your sleep. We can't move our bed room off the street, so what do we do? Insulated drapes, wall insulation, noise deadening materials can all help. There is also white noise, which can mask the bad noise we need to avoid. White noise can be generated with a fan, its hum may be enough to drown out the offending noises. You could tune a radio between stations to generate a consistent hum. Or there are white noise generators available for sale. What ever works for you is important, because noise can disrupt the sleep cycle. Also be sure to turn off computers and phones so their alerts do not interrupt the sleep cycle.
Sounds are one disruptive sleep destroyer, but there are more. Light is an issue as well. Our bodies regulate our sleep cycle partially with the sun. That is why when darkness hits, we tend to get sleepy. Having too much light in your bedroom can cause your body to assume its day light, and disrupt the sleep cycle. Things like computer monitors, TVs, cell phones can all put off light in sufficient quantity to affect sleep. Curtains can keep external light out, turn off screens at night to maximize healthy sleep.
To that end, reserve your bed room for sleep and sex. Try not to turn it into a communication center or home theater. Use other rooms for that. Charge cell phones away from the bedroom, if you must have a computer or TV in the bedroom, make sure it is turned off at least a half hour before you intend to sleep. Besides, by removing clutter, it will make the room more attractive, and less dangerous to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Friendly bedrooms are cool, no really, the bedroom temperature is important as well. The generally accepted sleep temperature is 65 degrees. Bedrooms that are too hot or cold can disrupt the sleep cycle. Make sure there is adequate ventilation as well.
Sleep in a comfortable bed. Your bed should be large enough to be able to turn easily. It should support, but support does not mean hard. Your bed should contour to your body, maintaining proper spinal alignment, or posture. 70% of the market sleeps on an innerspring bed. Innerspring beds should be replaced every 7 to 10 years. The springs will wear out causing the surface to not offer the best support. If you consistently awake with lower back pain, and there is no medical reason for it, your bed is probably worn out. There are other types of beds that you may want to consider. From the 1960's we have the water bed, from the 1980's we have foam, and air supported technologies. Try them all, as we age we should look for better support, to help our body sleep better, to improve our overall well being and health. Here is the shameless commercial, but this blog is sponsored by a business that supplies Comfortaire beds, which we believe are the best available sleep system, check it out here.
And try to establish a sleep ritual. Find activities that help your body wind down, and your brain as well. a few minutes of soft music, a warm bath, or even meditation can help. If you sleep better, you will experience better well being. You might find yourself more productive when awake, and it can even help your fitness routine be more effective.
All this from just a sleep friendly bed room, is it worth the try?
Sleep Well!
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